The Foundations Set by Alexander the Great

The Foundations Set by Alexander the Great

Alexander set many foundations that helped us establish the world we live in today. Alexander was a skillful leader. He came from a royal family, so money never really was a problem to him. His father, Philip II, was a king so growing up he saw exactly how the royal process worked. When it came time for him to step in, nothing was a surprise. Alexander influenced the military tactics of that time in many ways. He was the one who exploited his father’s formation of the phalanx (A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears). Though it was not very successful, it was very significant. People took his ideas and made them better through the mistakes that were made. A simple foundation for an idea always has to be set for everything, and without it there would be no room for improvement. The spread of beliefs and ideas of government were some of many that helped later empires to have a model to work off of. Alexander most shaped Hellenistic culture with his military leadership, founding of major cities, and his long lasting effects of his land and people.
Alexander was raised with the knowledge that he could accomplish anything. When Alexander’s father told him that a horse, Bucephalus, was wild and uncontrollable he just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Alexander was gentle and caring. He talked to the horse, stroked, and calmed him. These unique traits in Alexander showed that he wasn’t all about fighting. He was very well-rounded and this helped him to be a popular leader. Alexander knew what was needed to win a battle. At the time, they weren’t ‘technologically advanced,’ so it was key to be knowledgeable. All that Alexander could do was take complete advantage of the resources and time that he had available. He used spears, bows and arrows, swords, cavalry, chariots, and some light and heavy armor. Materials were important, but with it strategy and practice are needed. One key part of Alexander’s soldiers in battle is that they showed...